KASPER THORUP - AN UPCOMING DANISH DESIGNER
We met Kasper Thorup for a chat about what drives him and not least his design. Kasper Thorup became known in Denmark after his participation in DR1's lifestyle and culture program Danmarks næste klassiker. Read on to learn more about a true "wood man" who is all his own and who has found a special passion in cutting to the bone when it comes to expression and functionality - and we also introduce you to his exciting lamps.
Creative since childhood
Kasper says that he has always - or at least as long as he can remember - made and built things. The game was to build it up and not to play with it afterwards, which especially disappointed his little sister.
"I drew, cut, assembled and threw myself into all kinds of material projects. My parents must have thought I was crazy at times, but I've never been able to let an idea go. Once I had a thought that something could be done better and differently, I had to try it out. And they did it in a big way, my parents have done a little bit of everything”.
…When I grow up I want to be Listening to Kasper Thorup talk about his designs, it's as if he's dreaming in a completely different world. With a creativity and eagerness to challenge and play with materials that has been going on since he was very young, it's only natural to think that he has always wanted to be something drawing or using his hands. But like many little boys, he also dreamed of becoming a police officer, and later became a team building instructor - even a psychologist.\ We were curious when he really found his niche and felt at home.
"It actually took me a few years after high school before I realized what I really wanted. I guess I've always known that, but thought that there's no certain future in it. I always knew I was creative and had ideas that I brought to life. When I decided to apply to the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen it just felt right, and when I started I immediately knew I was in my element. My 5 years at the academy were amazing and a great playground where I spent almost all my waking hours”.
Big shoes to fill With a Danish design history that early on put itself on the world map as something unique in design, Kasper Thorup has some huge shoes to fill. Danish design history has been a great inspiration for designers and architects both at home and abroad. Thorup also finds inspiration among the great Danish designers and spices it up with Kasper Thorup.
"I'm inspired by our classic design traditions. I'm inspired by contemporary life and the things I'm surrounded by in everyday life. Building compositions, raw industry and nature. I don't seek inspiration, it's more intuitive for me. I disregard what already exists and am open to everything I'm surrounded by”.
Being a creative thinker is not an 8-16 job that can be done at a desk, which is why Kasper Thorup rarely sits still with a pencil in hand and designs.
"My ideas and creative process happen suddenly. I can get an idea during dinner and immediately head to my workshop to get started. When I immerse myself in the process, I need total peace and quiet”.
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"Being part of Denmark's next classic has given me the opportunity to tell my story and way of working as a designer. Being able to invite people into my design work and design process has been very educational and exciting."
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4 quick tips for Kasper Thorup
When you listen to Kasper Thorup's story, ambitions and not least his passion for design, you meet a likeable and warm young man that you really want to listen to. We asked him 4 quick questions - but each time the answer was thoughtful and detailed.
- Your greatest experience in design It's hard to answer, there have been many small and large experiences that support the whole. Seeing my furniture and lamps at retailers or in private homes is an amazing experience. Having retailers, customers and partners believe in my products is the ultimate for me.
- What are you reading/listening to right now? As a podcast, I'm a big fan of "Her går det godt" with Esben Bjerre and Peter Falktoft and when it comes to reading, I enjoy reading articles in the Danish men's magazine Dossier.
- Where will your path and your dreams take you next? I hope that my design work can take me around the world and allow me to work with talented professionals internationally.
- If you could choose dead or alive, who would you rather design something with? It would be a great honor to meet Poul Kjærholm. I have great respect for his understanding and curiosity for materials and craftsmanship.
TV program Denmark's next classic
In 2019, you could follow a number of young Danish furniture designers in 6 episodes on DR1 in the TV program Denmark's next classic. A program where each week they had to showcase a new product in a given category (chair, dining table, lamp, children's furniture, sofa and armchair). At Lampemesteren, we naturally kept a close eye on the program where a lamp was to be designed. Read on as Kasper Thorup talks about being part of a program where you were challenged, inspired and assessed in a short time.
"Being part of Denmark's Next Classic has given me the opportunity to tell my story and way of working as a designer. Being able to invite people into my design work and design process has been extremely educational and exciting. Having a TV crew almost 24/7 constantly asking you questions about what you do, why and what your thoughts are about what you do, makes you constantly have to relate to what you do, which gives you a huge self-understanding”.
We were curious to know what had been the biggest challenge of being in the program, and without a doubt Kasper Thorup answered:
”I was definitely most challenged by the dining chair, as it is without a doubt one of the most difficult pieces of furniture to design. During my studies, we learned that the dining chair is one of the most challenging pieces of furniture to design as it has to fulfill many criteria. That's why I was in awe when I started. It was therefore a difficult piece of furniture to start with, but also something that gave me confidence in myself for the rest of the program, as it went really well”.
Thorup continues and says that he learned the most from designing the dining chair - both on a personal and professional level. Before the program started, he decided that he wouldn't doubt his intuition, especially since they had to work under massive time pressure.
"I learned to trust my intuition and go with what I believe works”.
Kasper Thorup designed some pretty nice products for the program, and when asked what he is most proud of, he answers with a dreamy look and a big smile:
"I was definitely most proud of the chair, not only because I won for best design in the category but because I never thought I could design a dining chair so early in my career that has been so recognized nationally and internationally”.
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The art of playing with light
The TV program shows Kasper Thorup's first encounter with designing lights. A challenge that was perhaps more difficult than expected. He mentions that the most challenging part of working with light is the reflection, color rendering and not least limiting it so as not to dazzle while spreading throughout the room.
Kasper Thorup has designed the elegant and minimalist Patrone pendant lights, which are handmade by local craftsmen in Copenhagen. The material has been challenged and Thorup has managed to do the "impossible" in collaboration with the craftsmen. His design is a cylinder with a lot of small perforations - and it was these perforations that would prove to be a challenge. In several places, he was told that you couldn't do that - and certainly not to create more that would be uniform. But with a certain amount of stubbornness and, not least, craftsmanship, Thorup took up the fight and tried it himself - the result was good. Kasper Thorup found some local artisans who made it possible to put the Patrone pendant into production.
In 2020, the series was expanded with wall lights that have the same stringent expression as the Patrone pendants.
At Lampemesteren, we absolutely love the Patrone series, and of course we're also curious if there will be more lamp designs from Kasper Thorup.
"There will undoubtedly be more lamps from my hand, but I can't say when"